Car-coupling



(No Model.)

' G. K. GORDREY.

. GAR COUPLING. I No. 256,822. Patented Apr. 25,1882.

Wain/e62)" eJ': a fizvarzzo a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES K. UORDREY, OF BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,822, dated April 25,1882.

Application filed July 28, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES K. GORDREY, a citizen of the United States, residing near Bellefontaine, county of Logan, and State of Ohio, have invented an Attachment to (Jar- (louplings, of which the following is a specification. I

The object of my invention is to alleviate the danger that railroad employs experience in going in between the cars to raise the coupling-link in coupling the cars or withdrawing the pin in uncoupling the cars by the hand, as in the usual way.

The accompanying drawings, together with the following explanation, will fully explain the form and construction of each of its parts, which consists of an upward and lower attachment.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of both upward and lower attachment. Fig.2 is a front view of the lower attachment. Fig. 3 is a side View of the lower attachment. Fig. 4. is a side and sectional view of the upper attachment. Fig. 5 represents the coupling-pin.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A in the dravlings represents the draft-iron or bumper of a railroad car.

B is the lever, consisting of rotating rod extending horizontally across and fastened permanently to the end of the car above the protesting-block G, and bent at each end to form the handles D, also bent in the center, so that it forms a V-shaped arm, E, extending out from the end of the car over the draft-iron A.

At the end ofarm E, as shown by'Figs. 2 and 3, are permanently attached two short chains, on and 1), chain a with hook to be attached to loop in clip F, Figs. 2 and 3, which passes over and across the draft-iron A, back of coupling-pin Gr, and connects at each side of draft-iron A by a loop on each end to the raising-rod H H at c, Fig. 3. The raising-rod H H is permanently attached to both sides of draft-iron A, under the car, at c, Fig. 3, and extends forward along the sides of draft-iron A, through loops in ends of clip F, at c, then passes down to the bottom of the draft-iron A, then forward and upward in notch L, Fig. 2, forming aloop under the link I, Figs. 3 and 4, in front of bumper.

The coupling-pin G is permanently attached to the arm E of lever B by the chain 1), Fig. 3. In uncoupling the cars the operator can, by unhooking the chain a from the clip F, withdraw the pin G by using the lever B.

I find in my observations that thereis a great variety of draft-irons indaily use, and that the lower attachment, Figs. 2and3, cannot always be conveniently attached to the draft-iron. I have also invented an upward attachment, Fig. 4., which consists of a lever, B, shaped and fastened to end of car, the same as described in the lower attachment, Figs. 2 and 3. At the end of arm E the ends of two short chains, 1) and d, are attached. The chain d, with toggle K, is to be dropped down through and toggle K turned crosswise under link I. in notch M in front of draft-iron A. The chain 1) is to be permanently attached to coupling-pin G. In coupling the car the operator can, by using the lever B, chain d, and toggle K, raise the coupling-link I the desired height to make connection. To uncouple the cars, by withdrawing the toggle K from link I, withdraw couplingpin G by using the lever B, the same as in using the lower attachment, so that in applying my invention, if the style of draft-iron will not admit of applying the.lower attachment, Figs. 2 and 3, then the upper attachment, Fig. 4, can be applied and have the same desired efi'ect.

The couplin g-pin G, Fig. 5, to be used in connection with the above-described attachments, consists of a pin any desired length and size, with a shoulder near the point of pin. In making ready to couple, withdraw the pin G out of draft-iron A and set the shoulder backward toward the car on draft-iron, and then place the arm E of lever B on the head of pin G to steady it. The force caused by the cars coming together-will throw the pin G forward off of the shoulder, down through the hole in draftiron A, making the coupling complete.

I do not claim as my invention the parts A, U, and I.

In practice I have the toggle made with a longer stem than shown, to which to attach the chain, that the brakeman may catch hold of the stem and turn the toggle without putting his fingers through or near the link while coupling.

I am aware of the Patent of J. Gum, No. 143,756, and T. P. Cline, No. 133,565; but in the first of these cases the link, support, and pin are hung so as to raise simultaneously and not otherwise, thus renderingit necessary that the pin should be held up out of position while the link is being elevated or held up, and that '-the link-support must be dropped out of position to allow the pin. to be dropped into'position, making it very probable that the link will have been thrown out of position by the bump or jar of the cars coming together before the pin can be dropped into position; and, besides, it is open to the objection that the approaching link might, on coming into contact with the iron elevating-plate, bounce so as to miss the hole in the draw head and cause trouble. Clines invention is deficient in every point. He has no way of inserting the coupling-pin at all, and the brakeman must go between the cars'to insert the pin, as in the present mode.

I disclaim broadly the idea of raising the and notched pin Gr.

35 In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 3d day of September, 1881.

CHAS. K. OORDREY.

Witnesses DUNCAN Dow, HENRY W. OoRDREY, 

